after all,

it's the theatrical.

The moment when Harry takes Draco's wand

  • J. K. Rowling: I said to Arthur, my American editor - we had an interesting conversation during the editing of seven - the moment when Harry takes Draco's wand, Arthur said, God, that's the moment when the ownership of the Elder wand is actually transferred? And I said, that's right. He said, shouldn't that be a bit more dramatic? And I said, no, not at all, the reverse. I said to Arthur, I think it really puts the elaborate, grandiose plans of Dumbledore and Voldemort in their place. That actually the history of the wizarding world hinged on two teenage boys wrestling with each other. They weren't even using magic. It became an ugly little corner tussle for the possession of wands. And I really liked that - that very human moment, as opposed to these two wizards who were twitching strings and manipulating and implanting information and husbanding information and guarding information, you know? Ultimately it just came down to that, a little scuffle and fistfight in the corner and pulling a wand away.
  • Melissa Anelli: It says a lot about the world at large, I think, about conflict in the world, it's these little things -
  • J. K. Rowing: And the difference one individual can make. Always, the difference one individual can make.

This is the most unique one I've seen - Ask!

  • 1) Put your iTunes on shuffle. Give me the first 6 songs that pop up.
  • 2) If you could meet anyone on this earth, who would it be?
  • 3) Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 23, give me line 17.
  • 4) What do you think about most?
  • 5) What does your latest text message from someone else say?
  • 6) Do you sleep with ____ or without ______ on?
  • 7) What's your strangest talent?
  • 8) Girls.... (finish the sentence); Boys.... (finish the sentence)
  • 9) Ever had a poem or song written about you?
  • 10) When is the last time you played the air guitar?
  • 11) Do you have any strange phobias?
  • 12) Ever stuck a foreign object up your nose?
  • 13) What's your religion?
  • 14) If you are outside, what are you most likely doing?
  • 15) Do you prefer to be behind the camera or in front of it?
  • 16) Simple but extremely complex. Favorite band?
  • 17) What was the last lie you told?
  • 18) Do you believe in karma?
  • 19) What does your URL mean?
  • 20) What is your greatest weakness; your greatest strength?
  • 21) Who is your celebrity crush?
  • 22) Have you ever gone skinny dipping?
  • 23) How do you vent your anger?
  • 24) Do you have a collection of anything?
  • 25) Do you prefer talking on the phone or video chatting online?
  • 26) Are you happy with the person you've become?
  • 27) What's a sound you hate; sound you love?
  • 28) What's your biggest "what if"?
  • 29) Do you believe in ghosts? How about aliens?
  • 30) Stick your right arm out; what do you touch first? Do the same with your left arm.
  • 31) Smell the air. What do you smell?
  • 32) What's the worst place you have ever been to?
  • 33) Choose East Coast or West Coast?
  • 34) Most attractive singer of your opposite gender?
  • 35) To you, what is the meaning of life?
  • 36) Define Art.
  • 37) Do you believe in luck?
  • 38) What's the weather like right now?
  • 39) What time is it?
  • 40) Do you drive? If so, have you ever crashed?
  • 41) What was the last book you read?
  • 42) Do you like the smell of gasoline?
  • 43) Do you have any nicknames?
  • 44) What was the last movie you saw?
  • 45) What's the worst injury you've ever had?
  • 46) Have you ever caught a butterfly?
  • 47) Do you have any obsessions right now?
  • 48) What's your sexual orientation?
  • 49) Ever had a rumor spread about you?
  • 50) Do you believe in magic?
  • 51) Do you tend to hold grudges against people who have done you wrong?
  • 52) What is your astrological sign?
  • 53) Do you save money or spend it?
  • 54) What's the last thing you purchased?
  • 55) Love or lust?
  • 56) In a relationship?
  • 57) How many relationships have you had?
  • 58) Can you touch your nose with your tongue?
  • 59) Where were you yesterday?
  • 60) Is there anything pink within 10 feet of you?
  • 61) Are you wearing socks right now?
  • 62) What's your favorite animal?
  • 63) What is your secret weapon to get someone to like you?
  • 64) Where is your best friend?
  • 65) Take a screenshot of your most played songs on iTunes.
  • 66) What is your heritage?
  • 67) What were you doing last night at 12 AM?
  • 68) What do you think is Satan's last name?
  • 69) Be honest. Ever gotten yourself off?
  • 70) Are you the kind of friend you would want to have as a friend?
  • 71) You are walking down the street on your way to work. There is a dog drowning in the canal on the side of the street. Your boss has told you if you are late one more time you get fired. What do you do?
  • 72) You are at the doctor’s office and she has just informed you that you have approximately one month to live. a) Do you tell anyone/everyone you are going to die? b) What do you do with your remaining days? c) Would you be afraid?
  • 73) You can only have one of these things; trust or love.
  • 74) What's a song that always makes you happy when you hear it?
  • 75) What are the last four digits in your cell phone number?
  • 76) In your opinion, what makes a great relationship?
  • 77) How can I win your heart?
  • 78) Can insanity bring on more creativity?
  • 79) What is the single best decision you have made in your life so far?
  • 80) What size shoes do you where?
  • 81) What would you want to be written on your tombstone?
  • 82) What is your favorite word?
  • 83) Give me the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word; heart.
  • 84) What is a saying you say a lot?
  • 85) What's the last song you listened to?
  • 86) Basic question; what's your favorite color/colors?
  • 87) What is your current desktop picture?
  • 88) If you could press a button and make anyone in the world instantaneously explode, who would it be?
  • 89) What would be a question you'd be afraid to tell the truth on?
  • 90) One night you wake up because you heard a noise. You turn on the light to find that you are surrounded by MUMMIES. The mummies aren't really doing anything, they're just standing around your bed. What do you do?
  • 91) You accidentally eat some radioactive vegetables. They were good, and what's even cooler is that they endow you with the super-power of your choice! What is that power?
  • 92) You can re-live any point of time in your life. The time-span can only be a half-hour, though. What half-hour of your past would you like to experience again?
  • 93) You can erase any horrible experience from your past. What will it be?
  • 94) You have the opportunity to sleep with the music-celebrity of your choice. Who would it be?
  • 95) You just got a free plane ticket to anywhere. You have to depart right now. Where are you gonna go?
  • 96) Do you have any relatives in jail?
  • 97) Have you ever thrown up in the car?
  • 98) Ever been on a plane?
  • 99) If the whole world were listening to you right now, what would you say?
  • 100) Give me your top 5 favorite blogs on Tumblr.
theatlantic: 6 Writing Tips From John Steinbeck 1. Abandon the idea that you are ever going to finish. Lose track of the 400 pages and write just one page for each day, it helps. Then when it gets finished, you are always surprised. 2. Write freely and as rapidly as possible and throw the whole thing on paper. Never correct or rewrite until the whole thing is down. Rewrite in process is usually found to be an excuse for not going on. It also interferes with flow and rhythm which can only come from a kind of unconscious association with the material. 3. Forget your generalized audience. In the first place, the nameless, faceless audience will scare you to death and in the second place, unlike the theater, it doesn’t exist. In writing, your audience is one single reader. I have found that sometimes it helps to pick out one person—a real person you know, or an imagined person and write to that one. 4. If a scene or a section gets the better of you and you still think you want it—bypass it and go on. When you have finished the whole you can come back to it and then you may find that the reason it gave trouble is because it didn’t belong there. 5. Beware of a scene that becomes too dear to you, dearer than the rest. It will usually be found that it is out of drawing. 6. If you are using dialogue—say it aloud as you write it. Only then will it have the sound of speech. Read more. [Image: AP]

theatlantic:

6 Writing Tips From John Steinbeck

1. Abandon the idea that you are ever going to finish. Lose track of the 400 pages and write just one page for each day, it helps. Then when it gets finished, you are always surprised.

2. Write freely and as rapidly as possible and throw the whole thing on paper. Never correct or rewrite until the whole thing is down. Rewrite in process is usually found to be an excuse for not going on. It also interferes with flow and rhythm which can only come from a kind of unconscious association with the material.

3. Forget your generalized audience. In the first place, the nameless, faceless audience will scare you to death and in the second place, unlike the theater, it doesn’t exist. In writing, your audience is one single reader. I have found that sometimes it helps to pick out one person—a real person you know, or an imagined person and write to that one.

4. If a scene or a section gets the better of you and you still think you want it—bypass it and go on. When you have finished the whole you can come back to it and then you may find that the reason it gave trouble is because it didn’t belong there.

5. Beware of a scene that becomes too dear to you, dearer than the rest. It will usually be found that it is out of drawing.

6. If you are using dialogue—say it aloud as you write it. Only then will it have the sound of speech.

Read more. [Image: AP]

(via armandoornelas)